Last updated: October 16, 2026. See our About page for how we test and review AI tools. Official references: Microsoft 365 Copilot pricing, OpenAI’s ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets.
If you spend your week staring at rows and columns, AI for Excel and Google Sheets can save you hours: it writes formulas from plain English, cleans messy data, builds charts, and explains what a spreadsheet is actually doing. The tricky part is that there are now several different ways to add AI to a spreadsheet — a built-in assistant from Microsoft, a built-in assistant from Google, and a newer add-in from OpenAI that works inside both. This guide walks through what each option actually does, what it costs, and how to pick the right one for your workflow.
By the end, you’ll know how to turn a vague request like “clean this up and tell me what’s wrong with it” into a working formula or chart, without memorizing VLOOKUP syntax or Python. We’ll also flag the common mistakes people make when they first start using AI for Excel and Google Sheets tasks, so you don’t waste a plan upgrade on a feature you didn’t need.
Table of Contents
What you’ll achieve
Using AI for Excel and Google Sheets well comes down to picking the right tool for the job. By the end of this guide you’ll:
- Understand the three main ways to add AI to a spreadsheet: Microsoft Copilot in Excel, Gemini in Google Sheets, and the ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets add-in
- Know which plan (if any) each option requires
- Be able to generate formulas, clean data, and build charts using natural-language prompts
- Avoid the most common mistakes people make when using AI for Excel and Google Sheets
Step 1: Pick your starting point for AI for Excel and Google Sheets
Before you install anything, figure out which spreadsheet app you live in and which AI tool you already pay for. This matters more than it sounds — each option is tied to a different subscription.
- Already pay for Microsoft 365? Copilot in Excel is the most tightly integrated option, but it’s a separate paid add-on.
- Already on Google Workspace Business Standard or higher? Gemini in Sheets is included at no extra cost.
- Already pay for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, or Business — or just want a free option? The ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets add-in works inside both apps and is open to every ChatGPT tier, including the Free plan, with limited usage on Free and Go.
Step 2: Set up Microsoft Copilot in Excel
Copilot in Excel lets you analyze data with natural language, generate formulas, and highlight trends directly inside the Excel ribbon.
- Confirm your plan includes Copilot. As of October 2026, Microsoft 365 Copilot is sold as an add-on starting around $18–$21/user/month (promotional pricing through December 2026, regular price higher) on top of a qualifying Microsoft 365 Business plan, or bundled into Microsoft 365 Business Standard/Premium with Copilot for roughly $23.50–$32/user/month (annual billing).
- Open Excel, go to the Home tab, and select the Copilot icon.
- Type a request like “Highlight the top 10% of sales by region” or “Summarize what’s unusual in this data” — Copilot reads the active sheet and responds with formulas, formatting, or a written summary.
- Use follow-up prompts to refine results; Copilot keeps the conversation in context for that session.
Copilot in Excel is strongest when your data is already in a clean table and you want quick analysis or formula help without leaving the app.
Step 3: Set up Gemini in Google Sheets
Gemini is built into Google Sheets as a small starburst icon in the top-right corner of the toolbar.
- Check your Workspace plan. Gemini in Sheets requires Business Standard (around $12.60–$14/user/month) or higher — it is not included on Business Starter.
- Click the Gemini icon and describe what you want: “Build a formula that flags rows where revenue dropped more than 10% month over month” or “Create a project plan from this list of tasks.”
- Gemini can also use Enhanced Smart Fill to detect patterns in a column and auto-populate the rest, similar to Excel’s Flash Fill but language-aware.
- For bigger asks, Gemini can build entire starter spreadsheets or project trackers from a single prompt.
Gemini in Sheets is the better fit if your team already lives in Google Workspace and wants AI help without adding another subscription.
Step 4: Try the ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets add-in
In 2026, OpenAI shipped a dedicated ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets add-in that works inside both apps rather than requiring you to copy data into a browser tab.
- In Excel, go to Home → Add-ins, search for “ChatGPT,” and install it; open it from the ribbon. In Google Sheets, install it from Google Workspace Marketplace.
- Sign in with your ChatGPT account. It’s available on every tier — Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, Edu, and K-12 — though Free and Go get more limited usage than paid plans.
- Describe what you need directly in the sidebar: build a new sheet from scratch, clean messy data, write or fix a formula, trace an error across multiple tabs, or generate a chart.
- For deeper analysis on complex files, you can also upload the spreadsheet directly into a ChatGPT conversation on a paid plan, where it runs Python in a sandbox to answer statistical questions.
This is the most flexible option if you don’t want to pay for a second AI subscription on top of ChatGPT, or if you regularly switch between Excel and Google Sheets.
Tips and common mistakes
- Don’t skip describing the structure of your data. AI for Excel and Google Sheets tools work far better when your prompt mentions column headers or what each row represents, instead of just “fix this.”
- Check formulas before trusting them. All three tools can generate a formula that looks right but references the wrong range — always spot-check the output on a sample row.
- Don’t upgrade a whole subscription just for spreadsheet AI. If you only need occasional formula help, the free-tier ChatGPT add-in or a lightweight third-party formula generator may cover it without a Microsoft 365 Copilot or Workspace Business Standard upgrade.
- Large files can hit limits. Very large or heavily formatted spreadsheets may need to be split into smaller tabs for any of these tools to process reliably.
- Keep sensitive data in mind. If your spreadsheet contains confidential information, check your organization’s data-handling policy before pasting it into any AI tool, including add-ins.
Pricing comparison for AI for Excel and Google Sheets
| Tool | Where it works | Starting price | Free option? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Copilot in Excel | Excel desktop/web | ~$18–21/user/month add-on (promo through Dec 2026), or ~$23.50+/user/month bundled | No |
| Gemini in Google Sheets | Google Sheets | Included from Workspace Business Standard, ~$12.60–14/user/month | No (not on Starter plan) |
| ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets | Both Excel and Google Sheets | Free (limited usage); more with Plus ($20/month) or higher | Yes |
Prices and promotions change — always confirm current rates on the Microsoft 365 Copilot pricing page or your Google Workspace admin console before committing.
Which AI for Excel and Google Sheets tool should you use?
If you’re already paying for Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace at a qualifying tier, start with the built-in option — it’s the least friction and keeps data in one ecosystem. If you don’t want another subscription, or you bounce between Excel and Google Sheets, the ChatGPT add-in is the most accessible starting point since it’s free to try. Many people end up using a mix of AI for Excel and Google Sheets tools: the built-in assistant for quick in-sheet formula help, and ChatGPT or Claude for heavier one-off analysis where you want to upload a file and ask detailed questions.
If you’re also curious how these assistants compare for writing and reasoning outside of spreadsheets, our ChatGPT review and Gemini review cover that in more depth, and our guide to writing better AI prompts will help you get sharper formula and analysis results out of any of them.
FAQ about AI for Excel and Google Sheets
Is AI in Excel or Google Sheets free?
Gemini in Sheets and Microsoft Copilot in Excel both require a qualifying paid plan. The ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets add-in is free to install and use on every ChatGPT tier, including Free, though usage is more limited than on paid plans.
Can AI write complex formulas for me?
Yes — describe the logic in plain English (“flag rows where column C is more than 20% below column B”) and any of these tools will generate a working formula. Always double-check the result against a few known rows.
Does Copilot in Excel work without Microsoft 365?
No. Copilot in Excel requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 plan plus the Copilot add-on (or a bundled plan that already includes it).
Can I use Gemini in Sheets on a personal Google account?
Gemini features in Sheets are tied to eligible Google Workspace Business/Enterprise plans or a Google AI subscription; a free personal Google account does not include Gemini in Sheets.
Which tool is best for cleaning messy data?
All three can clean and restructure data from a natural-language prompt. The ChatGPT add-in and Gemini’s Enhanced Smart Fill are both strong for pattern-based cleanup; Copilot in Excel is strongest when you also want a written summary of what changed.